Match-box.



E. ELLIS.

MATCH BOX.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR. so, 1908.

Patented Mar. 2, 1909.

Elwwutoz wit" no me NORRIS Psrsrgs C04, wasnmcrox, n. c.

EDWARD ELLIS, OF ROSWELL, TERRITORY OF NEW MEXICO.

MATCH-BOX.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 30, 1908.

Patented March 2, 1909.

Serial No. 424:,266.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD ELLIS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Roswell, in the county of Chaves and Territory of New Mexico, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Match Boxes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawmgs.

My invention relates to improvements in match boxes or holders, and it consists of the novel features of construction and the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed.

The object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which will be sim ple in construction so that it may be )XO- duced at a very small cost, which will be simple and compact to permit it to be convenlently carried in on es pocket, which may be quickly and easily filled with matches, and from which the matches may be readily removed and automatically ignited as they are drawn out of the box.

The above and other objects of the invention, as will hereinafter appear, are attained in its preferred embodiment illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figures 1 and 2 are perspective views of the front and rear faces of my improved match box or holder; Fig. 3 is a vertical section; Fig. 4 is a transverse section; Fig. 5 is a (letail view of the body of the box showing the spring match retaining and igniting member or tongue rovided with a milled or knurled match striifing surface; and Fig. 6 is a detail vertical sectional view through the box showing the spring match retaining and igniting member covered with sand paper.

My improved match box or holder is constructed, preferably, of resilient or spring metal and it comprises a substantially rectangular body 1 formed by stamping, cutting, and bending a single piece of metal into the shape illustrated. Said body 1 has the bottom edge of its back bent forwardly at right angles to provide a bottom 3 and then upwardly to provide the flange 4. The side edges of said back 2 are similarly bent in a forward direction at right angles to provide sides 5 and then inwardly at right angles to provide guide and retaining flanges 6. The sides 6 are of slightly greater width than the bottom 3 so that the flanges 6 are s aced from the flange 4 to ermit a removab e lid or front 7 to be slid etween said flanges 6,

4 so as to cover the open front of the body. Said lid 7 is in the form of a rectangular piece of sheet metal having its lower edge bent inwardly or rearwardly at right angles to provide the flange 8 which is adapted to serve both as stop to limit the closing movement of the lid and also as a finger iece to ermit of its ready removal. While Tprefera ly make the cover in the form of a slide, it will be understood that it may be pivoted and secured in its closed position by a catch, or otherwise constructed. The top of the box or body 1 is open and the latter is of less length than the matches so that the stems of the matches in the box will project out of said open top or end, as clearly shown in the drawings.

The matches are retained in the body against casual displacement and they are automatically ignited as they are drawn separately out of the body by a spring match rctaining and igniting member 9 formed, preferably, integral with the back 2 at its upper end by cutting in the same two downwardly and inwardly extending slits 10 to provide a loose tongue which is then curved inwardly and provided with a suitable roughened match striking or igniting surface. The re siliency of the tongue or member together with its curvature causes it to engage the stems of the matches and press them against the lid 7 to frictionally retain them in the box or body; but at the same time permit them to be drawn out of the top of the same when their projecting ends are grasped and pulled upwardly with sufficient force. The match striking or igniting surface upon the inner face of the tongue or member 9 may be formed integral with the same by stamping or punching in it a number of small perforations 11, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 or by milling or nurling the inner face of said tongue, as shown at 12 in Fig. 5; or said surface may be formed separate from the tongue as by )asting or otherwise securing a piece of SMK paper, emery paper or the like 13 upon the inner face of the tongue or member, asshown in Fig. 6. By providing the roughened surface upon the inner face of the tongue it will be seen that the heads of the matches as they pass it will be ignited so that the match as it leaves the box will be lighted.

From the foregoing it will be seen that my invention is exceedin ly sim le in construction so that it may he proc need at a very small cost and at the same time it will be strong and durable and exceedingly convenient and handy. It may be quickly and easily filled by removing the lid, placing row of matches in the body with their heads resting upon the bottom 3 and their stems projecting beyond the top edge and then inserting the lid or slide 7 to frictionally retain them. hen a match is pulled out of the box it will be automatically ignited, as above explained. The body and its cover may be ornamented in any suitable or desired manner and if desired, advertising matter may be placed upon them.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is:

1. A match box comprising a body hav ing a back, a front, a bottom, and sides, the upper portion of the back being formed adjacent to its sides with substantially vertical slits to provide a resilient tongue, the latter having its lower portion bent inwardly to cause its upper portion to frictionally retain the matches in the body, the inner face of said upper portion of the tongue being provided With a roughened surface to ignite the matches as they are drawn out of the box, substantially as set forth.

2. A match box comprising a body having a back, a bottom, sides and an open front and top, a removable cover for the front, and a resilient tongue formed by slitting and bending" the upper portion of the back, said tongue being adapted to frictionally retain the matches in the body and being provided upon its inner face with a roughened surface to ignite the matches as they are drawn out of the box.

3. A match box comprising a body formed from a single iece of resilient sheet metal and having a ack formed with slits at its top to provide a spring tongue, the latter being bent and provided upon its inner face with a roughened surface, sides formed by bending the side edges of the back, guide flanges formed by bending the edges of the sides, a bottom formed by bending the bottom edge of the back and a slidable lid inserted beneath the flanges of the sides.

4. A match box comprising a body of substantially rectangular form having a back, a bottom, sides provided With guides and an open front and top, a slidable lid or front engaged with the guides upon the sides, and a resilient tongue formed by slitting and bending the upper portion of the back, said tongue being adapted to frictionally retain the matches in the body and being provided upon its inner face with a rough surface to ignite the matches as they are drawn out of the box.

5. A match box comprising a substan tially rectangular body formed from a single piece of resilient sheet metal and having a back formed with slits at its top to provide a spring tongue, the latter being curved and rovided upon its inner face with a rough ened surface, sides formed by bending the side edges of the back, guide flanges formed by bending the edges of the sides, a bottom formed by bending the bottom edge of the back and a slidable lid inserted beneath the flanges upon the sides and having its lower end bent downwardly or inwardly to provide a stop and a finger piece, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

EDWARD ELLIS. Witnesses EMMETT PATTON, OTTO BAUMER. 

